face trouble

USAGE SUMMARY

"face trouble" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to an issue or problem someone is experiencing, particularly if it causes them distress. For example: "She had faced trouble in her life, but she was determined to come out on top."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The Social Democrats, too, may face trouble.

The Economist

If spotted by border guards, the walkers face trouble.

The Guardian

With their financing squeezed, some banks could face trouble raising new capital.

The New York Times

Capacity in Asia, by contrast, will more than double.Areva may face trouble at home, too.

The Economist

He gave the world "Yellow", "God Put A Smile Upon Your Face", "Trouble" and "The Scientist".

Independent

The chances are that he will face trouble on both fronts.

The Economist

Mr. Hastings is not the only corporate executive to face trouble over his social media habits.

The New York Times

Kidioms is an app designed for students who face trouble with finding the meaning of common phrases and idioms.

Stanford University

Mr. Hobeika had acknowledged that he might face trouble because of his wartime role.

The New York Times

Mr. Sharon and his Palestinian nemesis, Yasir Arafat, continued to face trouble from within.

The New York Times

Mr. Forbes also could face trouble from within his new party.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "face trouble" when you want to emphasize the confrontation with or inevitability of encountering difficulties. It's suitable for formal and informal contexts.

Common error

While "face trouble" is generally acceptable, avoid overusing it in very informal settings. Phrases like "run into problems" or "have a hard time" might sound more natural in casual conversation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "face trouble" functions as a verb phrase, where "face" acts as a transitive verb and "trouble" as its direct object. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is commonly used to indicate the act of confronting or being likely to confront difficulties or problems.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

76%

Academia

10%

Science

7%

Less common in

Formal & Business

7%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "face trouble" is a common and grammatically sound way to express that someone or something is experiencing or likely to experience difficulties. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and wide usability. Predominantly found in news and media, it also appears in academic and business contexts, making it versatile for various formal and informal communications. While "face trouble" is generally acceptable, consider alternatives like "run into problems" or "encounter difficulties" for more informal settings. Be mindful of the subtle differences between "face trouble" and similar phrases to ensure the most appropriate expression in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

encounter difficulties

This phrase replaces "face" with "encounter" and "trouble" with "difficulties", emphasizing the experience of running into problems.

run into problems

This alternative is more informal than the original, replacing "face" with "run into" and "trouble" with "problems".

experience difficulties

This option replaces "face" with "experience", focusing on the personal encounter with hardship.

meet with adversity

This phrase is more formal, replacing "trouble" with the stronger term "adversity", suggesting a significant challenge.

confront challenges

This alternative replaces "face" with "confront" and "trouble" with "challenges", suggesting an active engagement with difficulties.

find oneself in a predicament

This is a more elaborate way of saying that someone is in trouble. It's more formal and suggests a difficult situation.

be in hot water

This phrase is an informal idiom that means to be in trouble or difficulty.

be up against it

An informal expression meaning to be facing significant difficulties or challenges.

have a hard time

This is a more general way to say that someone is experiencing difficulty or trouble.

struggle with issues

This phrase emphasizes the ongoing effort to overcome the difficulties, replacing "trouble" with "issues".

FAQs

How can I use "face trouble" in a sentence?

You can use "face trouble" to describe someone or something encountering difficulties. For example, "The company may "face trouble" if sales continue to decline".

What can I say instead of "face trouble"?

You can use alternatives like "encounter difficulties", "run into problems", or "experience difficulties depending on the context".

Is it better to say "face trouble" or "face problems"?

"Face trouble" and "face problems" are quite similar. "Face problems" might be more direct, while ""face trouble"" can imply a broader range of difficulties or distress.

What's the difference between "face trouble" and "encounter trouble"?

While similar, ""face trouble"" often implies an unavoidable or foreseen difficulty. "encounter trouble" suggests a more unexpected or accidental meeting with difficulty.